DAYTON, Ohio — Wayne High School in Huber Heights is setting its students up for success by teaching them financial literacy and making it a requirement for graduation.
“We really feel that our students are prepared to do their banking and investing and insurance and deal with credit, and they can be confident leaving here,” Business Teacher Melody McCallister said.
McCallister has been teaching for 33 years and admits there have been a lot of changes over that time.
Dominic Sain.
“I am most excited about the program we’ve had over the past four or five years,” she said.
That program she’s referring to is the Financial Literacy Course offered at Wayne High School, which just received the Compass Award from Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague.
The award recognizes outstanding achievement in for guiding Ohioans toward financial literacy and empowerment.
“There are people and organizations throughout the Buckeye State who are working tirelessly to prepare young Ohioans for the future,” Sprague said. “By developing and deploying innovative approaches to financial literacy education, they’re ensuring that today’s students have the knowledge and skill sets necessary to meet the challenges of tomorrow. The Compass Award program recognizes the hard work of those who are moving the needle and helping Ohioans reach their financial and career goals.”
Students agree it’s something that is making an impact on their future.
Senior Dominic Sain said this course has been a big help toward choosing his college major.
“Oh it most certainly helps,” Sain said. “I’m wanting to go into accounting. Seeing all this stuff it puts a lot more perspective for exactly what I’m going to have to do for accounting.”
Junior Rikki Collins said she’s confident the curriculum is giving her a leg up in life.
Rikki Collins.
“I have a job now so like it’s helping for me to budget my money and save for college and save for the expenses I need,” Collins said. “It kind of just helps me prepare for the future and I think a lot of kids just need to take it.”
McCallister said this past year teaching during the pandemic has been a challenge, adjusting to a blended learning model, but that isn’t stopping her from guiding these students in the right direction.
“One of the things I do like about this program that we’re doing with financial literacy is it works well for both,” McCallister said. “I can teach the same content here in class and I can teach it online with my students and they can see the same thing and do the same assignments.”
Her end goal: Preparing her students for the real world.
“We’re all citizens and we need to interact financially in our community,” she said.
Project RISE in Southeast Ohio and Ohio Saves were also recognized as Compass award recipients.
Ohio Saves is through Ohio State’s Expansion program and helps families learn how to save money and reduce debt, and Project RISE gives students in Southeast Ohio access to career and workforce readiness opportunities through the Athens-Meigs Educational Service Center.
More info on the Compass award can be found here.
